Hold onto your hats, dear friends. And grab a cup of your favorite beverage. You are in for a treat! And stick around for the entire post because the fabulous folks from Kidlit Clubhouse are each sharing a favorite yummy recipe AND giveaways!
ME: WELCOME!!! It’s lovely to see all of you fabulous creators! I already know many of you from #50PreciousWords and/or social media. Thank you all for stopping by to share your insights, writing journeys, and upcoming books…plus of course, we are thrilled some of you have offered recipes for sweet treats AND giveaway opportunities. We’ll take turns with the Q&A – and at the end of the post, I’ll list the four giveaways so that when people leave a comment, they’ll let us know which prize they’d prefer if they are one of the lucky winners.
First, here’s a little bit about our guests:
Kerisa Greene is the author-illustrator of I AM BOTH: A VIETNAMESE REFUGEE STORY (Feiwel & Friends, 2024) and LEGENDARY CAKES (Feiwel & Friends, 2025). She has also illustrated for publications such as Ladybug Magazine (Cricket Media, 2023) and THE IMPOSTER (Gnome Road, 2024).
Kerisa is a first-generation Asian-American who loves her grandma’s cooking and always craves a big bowl of phở. As a previous preschool teacher and children’s book buyer for an indie bookstore with a background in graphic design, Kerisa has combined her love of illustrating and storytelling into a passion for crafting picture books. When Kerisa isn’t drawing or writing stories, you can find her munching on chocolate chip cookies, exploring new places with her family, and petting every dog that walks by.
Website: kerisagreene.com
Email: hello@kerisagreene.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerisagreene
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerisagreenebooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerisagreenebooks
Sales Order Links:
East City Bookshop
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Bookshop.org
Target
Chloe Ito Ward
A former curriculum director, Chloe has a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She spent the last decade teaching kindergarten, where she discovered her passion for picture books.
Chloe’s debut picture book LOVE GROWS HERE releases April 2024 with Albert Whitman & Company. Her other picture books include: MADE FOR MORE, arriving WINTER 2025 with HarperCollins and CHOPSTICKS ARE, coming SPRING 2026 with Chronicle Books.
When Chloe isn’t perfecting her ramen recipe, you can find her rock climbing or dancing in the kitchen with her husband, son, and their imaginary dog Miso.
Pre-Order LOVE GROWS HERE at
https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-grows-here-chloe-ito-ward/20303779
http://www.chloeitoward.com
https://www.instagram.com/chloeitoward
Jamie Ofelia is the author of the humorous and heartfelt picture book MIGUEL MUST FIGHT!, which is slated for publication with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in summer of 2024. As a biracial Latina, Jamie writes fiction and nonfiction stories so Latinx kids can see themselves reflected as heroes in mainstream children’s literature. She holds her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and is currently a stay-at-home mom living in Dallas, where she spends her days reading diverse picture books with her son. When her son gets bored, she continues reading diverse picture books all by herself.
JamieOfelia.com
https://bookshop.org/p/books/miguel-must-fight-jamie-ofelia/20368176
David McMullin is a picture book writer, illustrator, and children’s poet. His poems are featured in several magazines and anthologies. Honors include an SCBWI Ann Whitford Paul Award, an Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest award, a Madness Poetry championship and he was a Picture Book Rising Stars mentor. David and his husband are currently full time world travelers, bird nerds, and YouTubers. In past careers he was a Broadway actor, an educator, and a children’s librarian.
Website: http://www.davidmcmullinbooks.com/welcome/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmcmullinpb/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmcmullinpb
Joëlle Retener is a 1st generation Haitian American children’s author from the DC metro area. Once upon a time, they traveled the world hobnobbing with foreign dignitaries and senior government officials. They now work as a reproductive justice advocate and community birth worker. Joelle has a BA in Spanish from Spelman College and an MA in International Studies from American University. When they’re not tending to their homestead, you can find Joelle on their porch sipping a cup of herbal tea with their partner and 3 tiny humans. Joëlle is represented by James McGowan at Bookends Literary.
Social media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelleretener/
bluesky: @joelleretener.bsky.social
www.joelleretener.comPreferred purchase link:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/marley-s-pride-joelle-retener/20576412
ME: And now it’s time to ask the questions. Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
KERISA: Some of my favorite books as a kid were Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, and Dinotopia by James Gurney.
CHLOE: I loved Don Freeman’s picture book DANDELION. I had such a strong emotional response to it as a kid, it still makes me cry. Also, the limited color palette for that book is lovely! The first book I read and thought, I want to be an author, was ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine. It’s immersive, magical, and empowering. I must have read that book 50+ times the year my mom bought it for me. I still have that book, with dog eared pages and tomato soup stains!
JAMIE: Frances Hodgson Burnett’s books, The Little Princess and The Secret Garden, captured my imagination in a big way when I was a kid.
DAVID: My favorite was Roald Dahl, especially James and the Giant Peach. I also loved The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. They both created such fantastic worlds.
JOELLE: Growing up I loved reading books by Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume and Stan and Jan Berenstain.
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
KERISA: Hmm, when I first started I took all the writing courses I could, which was so incredibly
beneficial but I realized I learn and grow the most from actually writing and editing stories. So I guess I wish I wasn’t so afraid to just write and just gave myself the space to learn and grow with each manuscript without the pressure of thinking that everything I wrote needed to turn into something. I wish I knew that it’s okay to just play and try out an idea for fun!
CHLOE: Everyone talks about voice. But finding and creating your voice as a writer takes time and lots of practice. It wasn’t until I started leaning into my love of poetry that I really found my own distinct voice.
JAMIE: I’ve learned that as I’m drafting, it doesn’t help me much to worry about whether what I’m writing will impress others. In order to craft an exciting story, I have to follow my own nose and focus on impressing myself first. I know that if I love the story, that passion will come through stronger in my writing.
Critique partners are essential to my revision process, but only after I’ve finished drafting something I love.
DAVID: How important it is to make connections within the writing community. I can attribute much of my growth and success as a writer to the relationships I built with other writers. So get on those socials and start socializing. I wish I had started making connections earlier.
JOELLE: As a recovering perfectionist I really struggled with the idea of sharing unpolished manuscripts with fellow writers. What would they think? What would they say? It’s taken a while to work through the anxiety but I now recognize that art is really a collaborative process. My critique partners each bring unique perspectives and insights into the mix which ultimately strengthen my work. They help me to stretch and grow as an author. So don’t be afraid to get an extra set of eyes on that SFD (sh*tty first draft).
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
KERISA: With a young baby, I’ll write wherever I can which usually means I’m typing up ideas and drafts on my phone. I do prefer to edit on the computer though and need a quiet space to sit with all my thoughts!
CHLOE: Since I’m the primary caregiver of a toddler I typically write at either the kitchen counter or table. I need to have one eye on my son and another on my computer. I dream of having a desk one day!
JAMIE: I write when and where I can! Usually it’s on my laptop at a café or on the couch. Sometimes an idea strikes while I’m in the middle of doing dishes or walking the dog, and I have to quickly tap it into the Notes app on my phone. If I don’t write it down, I WILL forget!
DAVID: I prefer to work curled up on a couch. My medium depends on the style of writing. Prose goes right onto the computer. If I’m writing in rhyme, I work on paper so I can have all of the pieces spread out in front of me.
JOELLE: My writing habits are a bit eclectic. I usually write indoors on my laptop but when I am feeling stuck or experiencing writer’s block, I like to switch things up by writing with pen and paper. I have random notes on receipts and there are pieces of loose leaf paper with my notes and musings scattered across the house. I find that moving between digital and analog helps eliminate the self censorship that naturally occurs with easy access to a delete button.
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
KERISA: As the muse strikes! Which usually happens late in the evening or when I’m supposed to be working on something else.
CHLOE: I get in little bits of writing throughout the day, during breakfast/lunch/nap or when my son is entertaining himself with building blocks or painting. But I prefer to write when the world is quiet, so either early in the morning or after everyone goes to bed. I drink a LOT of coffee and tea!
JAMIE: I’m a morning person; My brain is fresh and eager to work early in the day. Lately, I’ve been writing for about 30 minutes before my family wakes up, and then again for maybe another hour while my kiddo is in morning preschool.
DAVID: I am highly distractible. I work best in the wee hours of the morning before the rest of the world wakes up.
JOELLE: I typically do my best writing in the morning- ideally at the crack of dawn (I’m talking 4-5am). There’s something about writing when the world is still wrapped in stillness that really gets my creative juices flowing. With that said, I don’t schedule my writing. I really like to honor my creative rhythms instead.
ME: Why do you write for children?
KERISA: There’s so much joy and wonder in the way children see the world and it’s that awe that I want to imbue into the books I create. Writing for children is such a gift, kids can empathize with an emotional book while also laugh themselves silly at a fart joke and it’s amazing!
CHLOE: I taught kindergarten for over ten years and there is something so special about being a part of a child’s life. I find that picture books are a great tool to help kids grow mentally and emotion ally. Growing up I didn’t have stories with characters like me so I hope to bring that, I want kids to feel heard, seen, and accepted.
JAMIE: I write for children because they’re the most important people on this planet! Kids deserve riveting, joyful books that reflect their experiences and their families, and they also deserve the opportunity to read about families whose culture is different from their own!
DAVID: I was one of those kids who only read when I had no other choice. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I discovered what a joy reading could be. I write because I would love to create the kind of books that reluctant readers, like I was, reach for and can’t put down.
JOELLE: Writing for children is an opportunity to affect change and make an impact on future generations. It’s a chance to dream up a world that is better than what we’ve got and empower children to strive to make it a reality.
Writing for children also allows me to step outside of my adult roles and responsibilities and jaded perspectives and connect to my inner child– we can all use a little more fun and joy in our lives.
ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear.
CHLOE: There were so many times on my publishing journey that I thought, this is impossible, I’m not good enough, what am I doing? But I have so many wonderful friends that encouraged me to keep going, reminding me that contrary to the nagging voice inside my head, I am talented. We can be so self-critical. So please, talk to yourself the way you would a friend, be gentle with yourself, and find your people, the kidlit community is the best!
DAVID: Feel “Free to Be Fabulous!” at all times! That’s not just the title of my book, it’s a great way to approach the world. Parents, teachers and librarians, help kids make reading choices that are different, adventurous and fun. Kids can learn, be, do anything in the pages of a book. And writers, create those fabulous stories. Be brave and daring. Say what your heart wants you to say.
JOELLE: This is a message for all of those who write, consume and share diverse books. Don’t give up on these stories. I know the fight is exhausting and that you may be scared but keep going. Our kids need these books and they need us to keep pushing to keep them accessible for all. Let’s continue to work together to ensure that children can see themselves affirmed through the media around them. The future of future generations is in our hands.
What an amazing high note to end on! Thank you so much, dear guests! And of course, the sweetness isn’t over yet! Here are some of their favorites treat recipes:
KERISA’S Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Directions
Grab a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar then beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and coconut.
Scoop out the dough into small balls onto a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Let them cool and enjoy this delicious writing snack!
CHLOE’S SUPER SECRET Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Preheat the oven to 350
Mix wet ingredients first
2 eggs
1 cup Crisco oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Then blend in
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
6 oz chocolate chips
Bake for approximately 7-12 minutes depending on cookie size and enjoy!
DAVID’S Dream Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
Preparation
Melt butter until golden
Cool
Mix all ingredients
Make little balls and press down with two fingers
Bake at 250 for 30 minutes
Yummy!!! Summertime and the kids are home and baking delicious cookies is such a fun activity.
And here are the giveaways:
Kerisa: PB Critique (Manuscript or Dummy)
Jamie: Picture book critique
David: A fiction picture book critique, or a 30 minute ask me anything zoom call.
Joelle: PB manuscript critique (fiction, non rhyming)
How special is that, dear friends!!! Please make sure you comment below and tell us which prize you would prefer if you are one of the lucky winners – and perhaps 2nd choice. Also, please share this post widely…that’s how we can thank authors and illustrators for all the hard work they do. Of course, buying a copy of their books, reviewing them, and asking your local library to purchase copies are all fabulous things we can do, as well as placing them on our Goodreads Want to Read Shelf.
By the way, I hope you’ll all be back tomorrow, bright and early…we’ll be posting the results of the #50PreciousWords content….tick…tick…tick.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 